how to decorate midcentury modern on a budget

How to Decorate Mid‐Century Modern on a Budget.

Mid-century modern style is a popular look that is both minimalistic and fun. The style is known for its retro furniture, romantic color schemes, and straight lines. You can take different approaches to styling your mid-century modern room depending on your personal style. Start by decluttering your house and maximising the natural light. Choose furniture and accessories that enhance the mid-century look, and keep an eye out in thrift stores and garage sales to find unique items at bargain prices.

Method 1 Changing the Basics.

1. Declutter your area. Whether you are decorating a bedroom, lounge, or a whole house, the area will look more mid-century modern if it is free from clutter. Remove any unnecessary items from surfaces, such as desks, benches, or tables. File any loose pieces of paper, throw out any rubbish, and keep books and magazines in one place. Place small objects, such as art supplies, stationery, or cleaning products, into boxes or cupboards.

Consider giving away any objects that don’t fit with the mid-century modern theme, such as any neon or sparkly items. Keep items like sturdy wooden frames and hardcover books. Just prepare to use them strategically.

Place a few candles on a dresser rather than a myriad of ornaments.

2. Paint the walls white and add a feature wall if you want a dash of colour. The majority of mid-century modern homes have white walls as this allows the statement pieces of furniture to stand out. Paint the interior walls white and if you want to brighten up a room, paint one wall a different colour.

For example, paint 3 walls in the dining room white and paint 1 wall pale pink. If you don’t like white, consider other neutral tones, such as light cream or grey.

The exception to this is areas where you have wooden wall panels, brick walls, or large feature windows. These were often centerpieces in mid-century homes and should be displayed and enhanced, not covered up.

Consider using wallpaper for your feature wall if you want it to have texture or pattern.

3. Open the curtains to maximize the natural light. Most houses get at least some light during the day. Make the most of the light to help create a mid-century modern feel. During the day, open all of the curtains in the house.

If you want some privacy during the day, consider purchasing sheer curtains. These give a light and breezy feel to the house whilst still giving privacy.

If there are any tall trees or hedges that are blocking the light shining through the windows, trim them back.

4. Incorporate wooden features into your home. A key focus of mid-century modern design is including wood into the home. Consider adding wooden flooring, a wooden bench top, or wooden doors to your house. Oak, walnut, and teak are popular types of wood used in mid-century modern design.

Use wooden laminate instead of wood to achieve a similar look at a cheaper price.

Wooden decor pieces such as wooden balls, wooden furniture legs and backs, and wood doors were all prevalent in mid-century homes.

Method 2 Choosing Furniture.

1. Choose a couch with straight lines and a bold colour. Couches and armchairs are big focal points in mid-century modern design. Pick a couch that has relatively straight arms and tall tapered legs instead of a couch with ornate rounded edges. Choose a bold colour to help the couch stand out.

A sea-blue couch paired with mustard cushions would be a great colour choice.

If a new couch doesn’t fit in your budget, consider adding a colourful throw to your current couch.

You can replace your couch's current legs with the quintessentially mid-century tapered wooden legs. These are available affordably from most home improvement stores, as well as online.

2. Add a mid-century style mirror as a statement piece. A mirror has the power to make a room look bigger and lighter. Place a large, round mirror opposite a door or window so that it can reflect the natural light around the room.

Consider choosing a sunburst mirror. These are an iconic accessory of the mid-century era. Find replicas online to save money, or search in thrift stores.

Alternatively, look for a mirror with a minimalist aesthetic. A large, circular mirror with a thin gold frame would also be great for a mid-century home.

Upcycle any mirrors you already have. If you have a mirror with a frame, repaint the frame to match the feature wall or lounge suite colours.

3. Add lamps, pendants, and soft lighting. Lighting is a key feature of the mid-century style. Choose lamps with thin stems to incorporate the clean and minimal lines of mid-century design. Pick pendants that attract focus and have sculptural elements. Look for floor lamps that arch over furniture. Choose bulbs that have more yellow tones rather than blue tones as this will create a softer look.

Consider using multiple lamps per room to create different pockets of light. Limit pendants to one per room as they are a dominant feature.

Look for pendants and lamps at garage sales to find unique designs at a bargain price.

4. Choose wooden furniture to give a natural look to the space. Choose shades of wood that mirror the colours of wood found in nature. Natural pines and medium-browns work well. Consider adding a wooden coffee table, wooden chairs, or wooden shelves. If you want more minimal amounts of wood, choose a couch with wooden legs.

If you have wooden furniture that has been painted, consider sanding off the paint to expose the natural wood.

Don’t be afraid to use laminate. This can create a wooden look at a lower price.

Look out for wooden furniture in thrift shops. This is a great way to get quality furniture at a lower price.

Method 3 Adding Accessories.

1. Place a few pieces of bold art on the walls. The mid-century modern style is fairly minimalistic. Avoid placing too much art on the walls and cluttering the space. It is best to pick a few favourite pieces for the walls in each room.

Large graphics painted with oil on canvas are a great mid-century option. Metal wall plaques fit with the theme.

Abstract metal and stone sculptures are also good artistic accessories for this style.

2. Choose indoor plants to bring a feeling of life to your space. A key theme of mid-century modern style is the blending of the indoors and outdoors. An easy way to achieve this look is by adding indoor plants to your rooms. Consider adding plants at different levels to bring a natural look. For example, place one plant in a hanging basket and another on a coffee table.

Peace lilies are a timeless looking plant that improve air quality. Cacti are another timeless option.

Plants with hanging vines or droopy leaves work best in hanging baskets.

Plants are integral to the mid-century look. If you can't keep real plants in your home, invest in some fake plants to get the look.

3. Choose bedding and pillows with bold patterns. Repeating patterns and geometric shapes are an iconic part of the mid-century decorating style. An affordable way to introduce these to your house is through accessories. Add patterned cushions to your bed or couch to bring detail and color to the rooms. Alternatively, pick a patterned bedspread that makes the bed the focal point of the room.

Avoid having patterns on both the bedspread and decorative pillows. Similarly, avoid pairing a patterned couch with patterned cushions. Patterns look best when paired with plain items.

Consider buying fabric and then the sewing cushion covers or bedspread yourself. This is a great way to find the pattern you want and save money. If you can’t sew, ask a friend or family member that has good sewing skills to help you.

4. Pick a neutral-coloured rug that has an interesting texture. Mixing different textures in your home is a great way to enhance the mid-century style. Look for a rug that has a different texture to the carpet and couches. Try to get a neutral-colored rug so that you don’t draw away from the furniture in the room.

A shaggy rug would work well in a space with a velvet couch. Sisal and jute rugs also compliment this style and are very durable.

Purchase a rug from a home department store or keep an eye out at garage sales.

Tips.

If you working with a low budget, keep an eye out for big sales throughout the year.

Search thrift shops to find authentic retro items.

The mid-century look is very popular, so you can find a lot of modern items made to fit the aesthetic. Take a look at your local discount home goods and furniture stores for inspiration.

Januari 23, 2020

how to add natural elements to your home decor

How to Add Natural Elements to Your Home Decor.

Bringing natural elements into your interior decorating can help create a relaxing atmosphere. You should consider using natural materials such as rock, brick, sea shells, sea salt, water and wood. You may also want to bring plant life into your home to help freshen the air. To improve natural lighting in your home, you should consider opening your windows as well as using natural mood lighting. By using natural materials, plants and light, you can create a fresh and relaxing interior décor.







Method 1 Using Natural Materials.



Decorate with sea shells. Bring home some sea shells from your next beach vacation or purchase them at a home decorating store. You could use sea shells to make a variety of decorations such as a glass jar with sea shells, a picture frame or a candle holder.

Try creating a glass jar with sea shells. Collect some of your favorite shells and arrange them in a glass jar. Place the glass jar on a mantle place or on top of a shelf. They will remind you of the relaxing smells and sounds of your beach vacation.



Buy reclaimed wood chairs and tables. You can find beautiful furniture made from reclaimed wood. Wood previously used in barns, houses or other architecture is used to make chairs and tables. You can find reclaimed wood chairs and tables at design stores, antique shops or online.



Purchase unfinished wood furniture. You could buy unfinished chairs, tables or other wooden furniture and then apply your own finish. You can find unfinished wooden furniture online or at wholesale shops. Apply natural stains such as linseed oil or paint it to match your color scheme.

You can find unfinished wood furniture at online retailers and some hardware stores. Whereas some retailers are focused on more contemporary designs, other retailers sell very traditional designs. You can also piece together the parts you need by going to specialty retailers for table legs or other furniture components, which you would then assemble yourself.



Put driftwood on your coffee table or mantle place. Search for driftwood the next time you are close to a beach or lake. When you find a nice piece of driftwood, you can cut it to size and then place it on your coffee table to remind yourself of the place you visited.

If it is covered in dirt or moss, you may need to clean it.

You could wrap twinkle lights around the branches during the holidays.



Create a rock terrarium. You could find or purchase some stones and place them in a decorative bowl. You can purchase stones from a home living store or a precious stones shop. If you go on vacation to a rocky beach, you could collect your own stones. Arrange your stones in a small bowl and place it on your dining room table.



Consider wood flooring. Wood flooring is a great option for adding natural elements to your home, especially if you are in the process of renovating. Choose from pine, oak or other hardwood flooring options. You could also add section of wood flooring to a small area of your house. Solid hardwood, engineered hardwood and prefinished hardwood are common options.



Expose brick walls in your house. If you have brick walls, consider exposing them so that you get to see the natural décor of brick. Brick is made from clay, mud and water, which is fired at high temperatures. It has a nice texture and can give a room a very natural feel. You could make an accent wall with exposed brick and then paint the other walls in your house.

If you cannot alter the walls in your home, you could make a brick decoration. For instance, you could purchase a few bricks and stack them in front of a wall or use them to make a bookshelf.



Add a water element to your home décor. Install a slate water wall in one of your rooms to add the soothing feel of a waterfall to your home. If a slate water wall sounds too pricey, consider placing a small water fountain on your deck or on your living room table. You can find water fountains in a variety of sizes and shapes.

You can find water fountains at home décor, online retailers and some larger hardware stores.

Indoor water fixtures range from approximately $200 to $2500.

There are many different types of fountains such as tabletop fountains, fountains that sit on the floor and water fixtures that hang on a wall.







Method 2 Bringing Plant Life into Your Home Décor.



Plant an herb garden in your kitchen. An indoor herb garden will bring the smells and tastes of the garden into your kitchen. It also makes cooking a lot easier. Start by finding a sunny window such as a south or southwest facing window. Place your herbs in small pots on the windowsill and remember to put a saucepan underneath to catch drainage. Enjoy sage, rosemary, basil or other herbs in your kitchen.

Avoid north facing windows for indoor kitchen herb gardens. They do not provide enough light.



Add a spider plant to your bedroom. Spider plants look great in a hanging basket by a window. They have pretty green and yellow stems. They are very easy to maintain. They require bright or moderate amounts of sun.

Water occasionally when they are new and then moderately after one year.



Put a succulent in your living room. A succulent will add a nice flourish to your living room. Consider placing a few succulents on your mantle place, living room table or on side tables. You could make a succulent center piece for your living room table. On another table, you could put glass jars with sand and air plants or succulents on top.



Use cacti in your living spaces. You could place a small cactus on your home office table. If you are more ambitious, you could create a small cactus garden with different sized and shaped cacti in your living room. Play around with the shapes and sizes of the cacti. It might be best to place the small cacti in front of the larger cacti, so you get a sense of depth in your cactus garden.



Get weekly flower delivery. You can purchase a weekly flower delivery service so that you can look forward to fresh cut flowers every week. This is a great option if you live in a rental apartment. Talk to your florist about the kinds of flowers you enjoy and ask about the availability of seasonal varieties.







Method 3 Adding Light to Your Home.



Get more light into your home by opening up the windows. Remove old curtains or replace old windows that don’t let enough light into your house or apartment. With new windows and curtains that let more light into your home, you will feel a lot more connected to nature and the outdoors.

Consider purchasing natural linen or cotton curtains.

Consider the style of curtain you would like to purchase such as sill curtains, which go to the windowsill, or apron curtains that go over the windowsill. Floor curtains go all the way to the floor.



Add windows to your home. You may want to add a few windows to your apartment or house. Consider whether there are any parts of the house or apartment that would offer a nice view of the outdoors such as a pond or a forest. Also, consider what size of window would make sense and the price of the renovations.

Consider purchasing wooden, double-hung windows. This type of window will cost you a bit more up front but should save you money in electricity costs in the long run while adding a natural look to home.



Add a salt rock lamp to your bedroom. Himalayan salt rock lamps are great for mood lighting in your bedroom or living room. They have a soft glow and have a range of purported health benefits. Made from natural sea salts, they are a nice way to bring some natural light into your home.



Use a natural candle holder. You can find beeswax candles and Himalayan sea salt candle holders. Place some candles in natural candle holders in your living room or bedroom for natural mood lighting.





Warnings.

If you have pets or small children, you should avoid certain house plants such as philodendron, pothos, arrowhead, lily, peace lily, dieffenbachia, oleander, caladium, mother-in-law’s tongue and ivy.

November 17, 2019

how to decorate a bar

How to Decorate a Bar.

Having your own bar is a fun and exciting way to entertain guests. Decorating your bar can actually be a lot of fun and really easy. A great way to get started is to decide on a theme for your bar. That will help you choose the appliances, glassware, and storage that accents the theme of your bar. Then, it’s just a matter of adding decor that matches your theme and you’ll be drinking comfortably at your own bar in no time!



Method 1 Customizing the Bar Countertop.

1. Make custom napkins with your initials or a logo to place on your bar. Creating your own bar napkins is an easy way to add a personal touch to your bar. You can print napkins in any color that have your initials, your favorite team’s logo, your wedding anniversary, or even a photograph of your family on them.

Go online to search for customized napkins.

2. Use decorative coasters on your bar top. Coasters are both decorative and practical because they’ll help preserve your bar top and are a great way to accent your bar by using an interesting design. Famous quotes, a sports team logo, iconic landmarks, or humorous quotes can all add to the decor of your bar top.

For an even more personal decoration, try your hand at making ink stamped coasters or felt coasters.

You can find all kinds of coaster designs online. You can even make your own and have them shipped to you.

Many craft stores have the materials you need to make your own coasters.

3. Keep an assortment of straws on your bar. The straws you choose to serve with your drinks can affect the vibe or style of your bar. Using wacky and colorful straws would have a different effect than plain and purely functional straws. Put out straws on your bar for people to use that reflect the style or theme of your bar.

For example, a Caribbean or tiki-themed bar could use ornate straws that have Easter Island heads on them.

4. Add plants to your bar top to add some color or greenery. A potted plant or a vase of fresh flowers can really alter the look and feel of your bar. Unless your bar has a window that allows lots of light in, you’ll need to choose an indoor plant that does well in low light.

A decorative vase to hold your flowers can be a great decoration as well.

Use fake flowers for an easy-to-maintain option.

Tip: Use herbs in pots to decorate your bar and use in drinks. For example, you could keep mint and rosemary in small pots on your bar.

5. Install a countertop that creates the look that you want. The centerpiece of your bar should be the bar itself: the countertop where people will sit and enjoy food and drinks. Depending on the look you’re going for and your budget, you have several options to choose from for your bar countertop.

Granite and marble countertops are expensive, but they last forever and create a very elegant, stylish appearance.

Dark, well-grained wood fits into a traditional pub motif and will give your bar a warmer look and feel.

Stainless steel or glass bar countertops will give your bar a modern, experimental vibe.

Tile countertops are a less expensive but attractive option.

Avoid surfaces that will warp, chip, crack, or scratch easily like vinyl or wood paneling.

6. Add a backsplash beneath the bar to accent the countertop. Utilize the space beneath the countertop to complement or contrast with the design of your countertop. The space doesn’t need to just be a place for people to rest their feet!

For example, if you had a white marble countertop, you could use a black coral pattern backsplash as a contrast.



Method 2 Decorating the Walls.

1. Install decorative lighting fixtures to accent your bar. The lighting you choose for your bar should add a decorative accent but also be functional and provide adequate lighting for your bar.

A classic light fixture for many bars is the pendant lighting fixture.

Use lower wattage or softer light bulbs if you want to create a pub-like atmosphere.

Add small LED lights beneath the cabinets and on your shelves to draw light toward your decor, glassware, and supplies.

Change the color of the lights to suit the theme of your bar.

2. Hang a neon sign to make your bar look like an authentic bar. Depending on the theme of your bar, hanging a neon sign as decoration can make it feel like you’re sitting in a real bar, especially for a sports bar or a pub-style theme.

A wine or modern-themed bar wouldn’t be served by hanging a neon sign.

You can find neon signs for purchase online.

3. Use memorabilia to add a personal touch to your bar. It’s your bar, so you should add your own touch to it! You can hang photographs, images, or even flags to decorate your bar that makes it your own.

For a sports bar theme hang a jersey from your favorite team or flags with the team logo.

Tip: Hang pictures of your friends and family to make your bar feel like home.

4. Add a mirror to give depth to your bar. Many bars use mirrors to make the room feel larger and add a decorative accent to the bar. Mirrors visually expand the space and can be an effective design element that adds to the decor of your bar.

Make sure you choose a place on your wall that can support the weight of the mirror.



Method 3 Arranging the Bar.

1. Use an interesting shelf system for your bar. The shelves behind your bar can be used for more than just storing your glasses, supplies, mixers, and liquor. They can also be a part of your bar’s decor. The color, design, and arrangement of your shelves can all add to the look of your bar.

For example, you could use dark stained wood to store your beer mugs.

If you like to serve cocktails, you could use glass or stainless steel shelves for a more modern look.

2. Display your glassware in a visible spot behind the bar. You can use your glassware as decoration when you’re not using it to serve drinks! Keep glassware that is appropriate for the types of drinks that you can serve and look good sitting the shelves of your bar. Organize and arrange the glassware in a fun and cute way so people can see it.

Show off your cocktail equipment by arranging your martini glasses and shakers on a shelf behind your bar.

Use a decorative glass rack for your stemware like wine glasses and champagne flutes.

If you have themed cups or glasses, place them on shelves behind your bar as part of your decoration.

3. Arrange your alcohol, mixers, and supplies in an interesting way. The manner in which you display your liquor and your supplies add to the overall look of your bar. For example, you could arrange everything you have in a neat row or you could only display your more expensive and fancy drinks for a more professional look.

Your more expensive liquors should be placed on a higher shelf

Keep cheaper liquor beneath the bar so you can access it but it isn’t visible.

4. Put out fun shot glasses for people to use. You more than likely will be pouring shots at some time or another at your bar. Keep fun shot glasses out for people to use whenever the occasion arises.

Keep shot glasses with your favorite team’s logo to use after they score in a game!

Use frozen shot glasses to kick it up a notch.

5. Select barstools that complement your bar. Barstools are also both practical and decorative elements of your bar. Choose barstools that add to the look of your bar, but are also comfortable for people to sit in. Your barstools also need to be tall enough to accommodate most people so everyone can enjoy sitting at your bar.

For example, a pub theme would have barstools that are made of dark wood, while a modernist cocktail bar theme would be sleek and a monochromatic color.

A typical bar countertop stands at about 41–43 inches (100–110 cm) tall, and your bar stools should stand between 29–32 inches (74–81 cm) from the floor to the seat to accommodate most people.

6. Install custom tap handles to decorate your bar. Decorative tap handles will make your bar feel more authentic and personal at the same time.You can go online to purchase customized tap handles or you could order tap handles of your favorite brew or even your favorite sports team to decorate your tap handles with.

Use chalkboard tap handles so you can change what’s written or drawn on them.

7. Consider following a theme to help choose the decor for your bar. You could choose a theme for your bar to help decide what decorations you use. If you do decide to follow a theme, it should be manageable and fit the space of your bar, but it can be anything you want!

Look online or flip through design magazines for theme ideas or for decorations that fit your theme.

Bar Theme Ideas.

Sports Bar: If you’re a sports fan, you can use your favorite teams and sports to help choose color patterns and decorations.

Tiki bar: A tiki bar theme is fun and playful and would include lots of bamboo and wicker elements to give a South Pacific flair to your bar.

Wine bar: If wine is your interest, you can focus your decorations to highlight your passion using things like corks, wine racks, and an assortment of glassware.

British pub: A British pub theme would utilize dark wood accents, empire-themed decor with the Union Flag, and proper pint glasses.

Februari 12, 2020

how to decorate your room with paper

How to Decorate Your Room with Paper.

Decorating your room can be a lot of fun. While you can always buy premade decorations, you can make ones that are just as nice, but much cheaper at home. From creating wall décor to decoupaging your dresser, there are all sorts of interesting ways that you can use paper. Cardstock and scrapbooking paper will work for most projects, but don't forget other types too, such as tissue paper, cupcake liners, and wrapping paper.







Method 1 Creating Wall Décor.



Tape scrapbook paper together to create a quilted wall hanging. You could hang this over a large window or behind a bed. Gather 16 squares of scrapbooking paper. Overlap the papers by 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) to make a large square. Secure the edges of the papers with double-sided tape. Glue the quilt to a wooden slat, then hang it from your wall.

Choose 2 to 4 different patterns or colors for the paper.

For a more realistic quilt, skip the tape and sew down the seams on your sewing machine with a straight stitch.

Use saw-tooth hangers or ribbon to hang the slat.



Create your own wall decals from paper. This is great seasonal project as you could create leaves for fall, snowflakes for winter, flowers for the spring, and suns for the summer. Use stencils or large cookie cutters to trace shapes onto colored paper. Cut these shapes out, then secure them to your wall with double-sided tape or poster putty.

Your paper can be solid-colored or patterned. You can even use magazine pages!

Simple shapes, such as hearts and stars work well, but you can use more complex ones too. Try snowflakes, reindeer, or bats!

Match the color of the paper to the shape. For example, make stars yellow or blue, and hearts red or pink.

You can put up just a few decals or create a wall mural with them.



Make a sunburst wall hanging by gluing paper tubes together. Gather paper in 2 to 3 different sizes. Roll the paper into tubes, then tape tubes shut. Arrange the tubes side-by-side to create a flat disk or sunburst, then hot glue them together. Hang the sunburst from your wall with thread.

The long edges of the tubes should be touching. How much space you leave in the middle is up to you.

Make a smaller sunburst, then glue it on top of a larger sunburst for a layered design.

For a dramatic effect, create several small sunbursts and hang them on a single wall.



Fold paper butterflies in half, then secure them to your wall. Use a stencil or a cookie cutter to trace butterfly shapes onto colored paper. Cut the butterflies out, then fold them in half along the body to create a crease. Secure the butterflies to your wall with poster putty or double-sided mounting tape.

Rather than folding the butterflies down the center of the body, fold the wings to either side of the body. This will give you more paper to stick to the wall.

Make lots of butterflies in different colors and sizes, then stick them to your wall in a cluster.

For a whimsical vibe, use glitter paint to decorate the butterflies or attaching trailing ribbons to them.



Make some tufted tissue paper wall art. Cut a large shape out of tissue paper. Next, cut tissue paper into 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) squares. Wrap each tissue paper square over the end of an unused pencil eraser, dip it in glue, then press it against your shape. Keep going until you have the entire shape filled with tufted bits of tissue paper, then hang it up with poster putty or push pins.

Keep the shape simple, such as a heart, star, or letter.

You can use more than 1 color of tissue paper. Try 3 shades of the same color for an ombre design.

Work in rows from 1 side of the shape to the other. Make sure that the tissue paper tufts are touching.



Method 2 Making Garlands.



Glue folded butterflies to string to create a 3D garland. This would be a great decoration for a child’s bedroom. Cut butterfly shapes out of paper, then fold them in half to create creases. Hot glue half of the butterflies along the creases to a long piece of string. Flip the garland over, then hot glue the rest of the butterflies to the backs of the first ones so that the wings fold away from each other.

Make sure that you are gluing the folded edges of the butterflies together. This will create a 3D effect.

Make sure that the butterflies are all the same shape. Use a stencil or a craft punch to make them. They should be 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) across.

For a unique look, use paper in various colors.



Sew a garland using simple shapes. Use a large craft punch to cut lots of shapes from colored paper. Stack 2 shapes together, then sew down the middle on your sewing machine with a straight stitch. Stack 2 more shapes, and sew across them as well. Keep going until your garland is the length you want it.

Keep the shapes simple, such as circles or squares.

For a 3D effect, fold each of the shapes in half, so that the papers are pointing away from each other. Do 1 side of the garland first, then the other.

Backstitch when you start and finish sewing so that the stitching doesn't come undone.



Glue paper triangles to string to make a pennant banner. Cut a large triangle from colored or patterned paper. Turn the triangle so that you can see the back, then cover the bottom straight edge with double-sided tape. Drape your string across it, then fold the edge down by 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm). Trim off the excess corners sticking out from behind the folded edge.

Repeat this step to fill your string up with as many triangles as you want.

The size of the triangles does not matter, but they should all be the same.

Hang the garland above your bed, dresser, or window.

If you want to create a banner for the holidays, cut the triangles out of decorative wrapping paper.



Hang mini garlands from a piece of string to use as a curtain. Measure the height of your window, then create 5 to 7 mini garlands based on that measurement. Next, hang a piece of string across the top of your window. Tie each mini garland to that string to create a curtain-like effect.

This will only work with the butterfly and circle style garlands mentioned above. It won't work with a pennant style garland.



Add cupcake liners to string lights to mimic flowers. Fold a green cupcake liner into fourths. Cut a leaf shape into it, keeping it connected at the pointed end, then unfold it to reveal a 4-leaf flower. Next, fold a colored cupcake liner into thirds. Cut an arch into the curved edge, then unfold it to reveal an 8-petal flower. Put the flower on top of the leaves, poke a hole in the center of the stack, then push it onto a bulb of string lights. Repeat this step for each of the lights on your string.

To fold into thirds: fold the cupcake liner into fourths first, then fold it over 1 more time.

You can use string lights with a white cable or green cable. LED lights would work the best. Don't leave the lights on unattended.







Method 3 Decorating Furniture.



Decoupage a desk or dresser. Coat the top of your desk or dresser with decoupage glue. Place a sheet of wrapping paper over it, smooth out any wrinkles, then trim off the excess. Let the glue dry, then seal it with 2 coats of decoupage glue.

Let each layer of decoupage glue dry before you add the next coat.

Feel free to stick with 1 kind of paper or layer different papers for an eclectic look.



Glue paper semicircles in overlapping layers to a lampshade. Choose paper in a light, dark, and medium shade of the same color. Cut enough semicircles from the paper to cover your lampshade. Hot glue the circles in overlapping rows to create a scale effect. Make sure that the light bulb does not get hot enough to start the paper on fire!

Start from the bottom of the lamp and work your way up. Make sure that the curved edges of the scales are pointing down.

Mix-and-match the shades in the same row, or use 1 shade per row to create an ombre effect.

The size of the scales does not really matter, but 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) would be good.



Make paper roses, then glue them to the bottom edge of a lampshade. Cut a large circle out of paper, then cut the circle into a spiral. Starting from the outside, roll the spiral into a coil. Loosen the coil slightly, then hot glue the end to maintain the rose shape. Create enough of these to hot glue to the bottom edge of your lampshade.

Match the color of the roses to your lampshade, or use a contrasting color.

Don't combine this with the scales. Choose 1 or the other.



Line the inside of your shelves with patterned paper. Take everything out of your drawer, then measure the inside. Cut patterned paper to those dimensions, then tuck it into the drawer. Put everything back into the drawer, then close it. This is also a great option for the back of a bookshelf.

Decoupage over the paper to make it permanent.

Use double-sided tape to secure the corners of the paper, if desired.

Use wrapping paper for large drawers, and scrapbooking paper for small drawers.



Overlap and glue large doilies together to make a table runner. Find some large doilies measuring 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) across. Paint them with watercolors, if desired, then let them dry. Overlap them end-to-end by 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) inches, then glue them down. Keep going until you get the length you want, then set it on top of your dresser.

Make the table runner wider by gluing more doilies to the sides.

You can find paper doilies in the baking section of a craft store.





Tips.

Your garlands can be however long you want them to be. Be sure to tie loops in the ends so that you can hang them up.

Cookie cutters make great stencils. You can also use large, shaped craft hole punches instead.



Things You'll Need.

Colored cardstock.

Patterned scrapbooking paper.

Tissue paper.

Cupcake liners.

Poster putty or foam mounting tape.

Glue.

String.

Scissors

November 20, 2019